Mars has a famous red color due to rust, but a new study shows iron oxidation on the planet begins earlier than expected. The team of international scientists discovered that the Fire Dust did not contain hematite, as before, but Ferrigidrite – a mineral was formed with the presence of water. The work was published in Nature Communications (NATCOM) magazine.
Scientists have long known that the red of Mars is related to iron oxides formed by the interaction of water, oxygen and ice. Over time, this rust was destroyed, turned into dust and spread throughout the planet with winds, continuing to this day.
Previously it was believed that the main mineral for red so that the fire was a hematite formed in a dry atmosphere in billions of years. However, new laboratory experiments show that Mars dust in preparations closer to Ferrigidrit – a substance formed in cold water and retains a trace of moisture even after billions of years.
The researchers recreated Mars dust in the laboratory, mixed different types of iron oxides with a volcanic volcano and comparison of samples collected with data collected by orbit devices and dresses. muddy.
We tried to create a copy of Mars dust using different iron oxides. It turned out that Ferrigidrite in the mixture with basalt corresponds to what we are observing on Mars, the leading author of the study, Dr. Adomomas Valentas said.
The presence of ferrigidritis means that on Mars, the water lasts longer than before. This, in turn, can change his climate ideas in the past and the chance of the existence of life.
Mars Mars is still a red planet, but our understanding of its color has changed. If Rust appears earlier than we think, this may show that the period of water is longer in his history, Colin Wilson scientist from the European Space Agency said.
Now scientists are looking forward to the tasks that can provide Mars dust samples to the Earth. They will help determine the exact amount of water that has been stored in the planet's varieties and which secrets that hide its past.
Previously, scientists have developed a new method to protect the earth from asteroids.